AMA in the News

Your AMA has been active on policy and in the media on a range of issues crucial to making our health system better. Below is a snapshot of recent media coverage.

Print/Online

Focus on health wins, Northern Territory News, 20 February 2015

AMA President Professor Brian Owler visited health facilities in Alice Springs, as well as the Indigenous communities of Utopia, Ampilatwatja, and Kintore. Professor Owler said Indigenous health gains might be slow, but it is important successes are not lost in a sea of depressing statistics.

AMA President Professor Brian Owler has savaged the Department of Immigration and Border Protection for what he says has been its intimidation of doctors who speak out about the plight of asylum seekers.

Row stymies e-health rollout, AFR Weekend, 27 February 2016

Pharmacists and doctors are feuding over the Federal Government’s struggling electronic My Health Record system. AMA President Professor Brian Owler said the organisation backed e-health records as a way of controlling health costs, but the Government had failed to ask medical specialists what they needed to make My Health Record work.

NSW health authorities have launched an investigation into a national chain of hydration clinics after a Sydney woman was hospitalised following an intravenous vitamin infusion sold as a miracle hangover cure. AMA Vice President Dr Stephen Parnis has accused those behind the IV infusion trend of bringing the medical profession into disrepute.

Across Australia, public hospitals will lose more than a $1 billion in federal funding next year. AMA President Professor Brian Owler said as hospital capacity shrinks, doctors won’t be able to get their patients into hospital or keep them there to receive the critical care they require.

Hospitals are limiting surgery hours and forcing patients to wait longer for elective procedures as an economic disaster looms. AMA president Brian Owler said patients with life-threatening conditions such as cancer would wait longer for surgery, while emergency departments would struggle to treat half their sickest patients within 30 minutes.

Porn turning kids into predators, The Australian, 29 February 2016

Online pornography is turning children into copycat sexual predators, doctors and child abuse experts warned. AMA Vice President Dr Stephen Parnis said the internet was exposing children to sexually explicit content that taught sex was about use and abuse.

Radio

Professor Brian Owler, Radio National, 22 February 2016

AMA President Professor Brian Owler discussed calling for the immediate removal of infants and children from immigration detention centres, and for all asylum seekers to have access to quality health care.

Dr Stephen Parnis, 2HD Newcastle, 22 February 2016

AMA Vice President Dr Stephen Parnis discussed Turnbull Government plans for asylum seeker Baby Asha and her family to be returned to Nauru once medical and legal process are complete. Dr Parnis said doctors were in an untenable situation in treating patients with serious physical and mental health issues, particularly the children, who were under threat of return to conditions that will only exacerbate their health problems.

Dr Stephen Parnis, 5AA Adelaide, 28 February 2016

AMA Vice President Dr Stephen Parnis talked about hangover clinics. He said clinics which claim to cure hangovers through intravenous infusions have no benefit and could put lives at risk.

Professor Brian Owler, 2UE Sydney, 11 March 2015

AMA President Professor Brian Owler talked about public hospital funding. Professor Owler said Australia has one of the best health care systems in the world, but it relies on having adequate funding.

Television

Professor Brian Owler, ABC Melbourne, 21 February 2016

Federal Immigration Minister, Peter Dutton, says that asylum seeker baby Asha and her family will moved to community detention, and not immediately sent to Nauru. The AMA reiterated its call for all children to be immediately released from detention

Dr Stephen Parnis, ABC Melbourne, 2 February 2016

A new report warns that Australia isn’t properly prepared for health problems triggered by an increase in heat waves over the next 40 years. AMA Vice President Dr Stephen Parnis said hundreds of people could die every year if nothing is done to tackle climate change.

Dr Stephen Parnis, Channel 10, 8 March 2015

An official submission to the Government proposes increasing the tax on alcohol. AMA Vice President Dr Stephen Parnis is supportive of increasing the price.

Professor Brian Owler, Prime 7, 10 March 2016

AMA President Professor Brian Owler warns regional communities they will be worst hit when the Federal Government’s hospital cuts take effect from next year. AMA urges the Government to prioritise health when it lays down the budget in May.

Professor Brian Owler, Sky News, 10 March 2016

AMA President Professor Brian Owler talks about the No Jab, No Pay laws coming into force on March 18, when parents who don’t ensure their child’s immunisation is up-to-date stand to lose childcare benefits.